Disney Imagineers
by SailorSaiyan93
Summary: Six teenagers on vacation at Disney World get called to save the park and restore it's stolen energy hidden all over the area. But as reality and fantasy collide, they soon discover that the villains and other dangers are actually the least of their problems as the true enemy is keeping 'itself' in the shadows...R&R, please!
1. Chapter 1-Vacation to the Happiest Place

Note: Hey, guys. Well, if this is up, then my fanfiction scheduele is…non-existent. Sorry, but I can't control when and what I write, so while I adore every watch and favorite I get, don't expect a pattern or set date for anything of mine.

I've always wanted to do something Disney related, but ideas kept bouncing back and forth until I read CurlyFirefly's fanfiction, The Disney Game. Her premise was sort of what I wanted to do, but I wanted to base it in the 'real world', as in, our reality. Thinking harder on it, I began to think and work out something similar (though I asked for permission as it was her idea), and she was awesome enough to offer help if I needed it!

Anyway, thanks, CurlyFirefly, and all of my viewers! Read, review, and critique!

All characters and locations outside of my own are © of Disney

Ch. 1- Vacation to the Happiest Place on Earth

Cleveland, Ohio

Taking his seat, the red jeep pulled out of the driveway and headed down the road, the familiar and welcoming suburban homes passing by, almost as if they were bidding him farewell. The young, African American teenager stretched his long legs upward before bending them slightly to let them rest on the rest of the back seat. It paid to be an only child. Scratch that, it paid to be an only child with not one C on his final grades!

"Savor it Toby, you deserve it." His father happily declared, Toby merely nodding in agreement before he found himself slowly yet steadily dozing off again, his shaved head resting against one of the three pillows brought with them in the inevitable case either of them felt tired.

"Don't fall asleep yet, honey!" he heard his mother's voice call out, slender fingers gently pulling his skin to rouse him from his daze. "Save that for the plane."

"Sorry mom." He groggily muttered, grabbing his phone and immediately going to his music playlist.

Toby couldn't help it: while he saw this year to be his one chance at the football team, it also meant that his already average grades would have to at least KEEP that average with practice, games, or whatever event or fundraiser the school had in mind. He faltered at first, he would admit, but for the most part, he kept his scores at a steady and predicable, but still passing pace. Of course, then came the talk that changed everything. The reward was just too good to pass up. He wanted, no, he HAD to have it. Memories and childhood fantasies played out in his mind since he heard his father say those words, yet what drove him was the catch: no C's. Every day for Toby drove both his body and mind to the brink of near exhaustion. Study, play, study, practice, study, the scheduele and repetitive motions of catching a ball (that didn't even resemble an actual 'ball') and studying material in textbooks nearly had his already throbbing brain explode. Yet here he was, in the car, driving to the airport. The mental and physical strain was all worth it.

'_Yep…' _he thought as _Celebrate Good Times _rang through his headphones, keeping him at least partially awake. Good times were to be had indeed. _'I'm going to Disney World!'_

Atlanta, Georgia

She was doing something right. She had to have been. They wouldn't THINK of even taking her somewhere like this if they didn't feel 'that' way for her, and for an entire week!

"Melanie, are you alright?"

"Oh, y-yeah! I'm okay, Deborah!" the Latino girl retorted nervously, twirling her short, curly, brown locks. Sure, she was spacing out at the moment at the strangeness of the situation, but if her suspicions were correct, she couldn't blow this chance! She couldn't!

"You got the list, Ryan?" a girl of lighter skin and a blonde up do around the same age as Melanie inquired, he leaning over and presenting his phone, his bowl-cut, brown hair swishing slightly from the speed he moved.

"As if I wouldn't, Dakota!"

"You kids do everything digitally these days, don't you?"

"Afraid so, dad." The boy replied, going to listen to his music, the lighter skinned girl doing the same.

Melanie glanced at each of them, then to the two adults driving the car, then to her. It didn't take long to see who was the immediate 'oddball' amongst them. She remembered asking them as to 'why' they would take her, someone with no relation along with their family all the way to Orlando. Even as they soon got into houseless landscapes and mountainous ranges running alongside them as they drove, the question still prodded and clawed at her mind.

Could they maybe be 'the ones'?

At this point, she would've passed it off as wishful thinking to declare such a thing, but an action such as this, something HAD to be up, it just HAD to!

Yet, the all-too-familiar panging doubt in her chest brought her elevation down to the ground. She couldn't get her hopes up THAT high. Not just yet.

As the van continued to go down further and further, those wishful thoughts couldn't help but rise up again, a small smile curling on her lips.

Jupiter, Florida

Bobby would be smiling, really, he WOULD be the happiest teenager on the planet if not for the…'young lady' sitting next to him, lying on her back and legs bent over the top of the seat. Studying her and then himself, he couldn't help but roll her eyes at her. Here he was, calmly playing himself a good game of Tetris, sitting upright and concentrating on the shifting blocks and score count while his (regrettably) newest acquaintance of the past year was quite literally sitting backwards (with her seatbelt forcibly on as her mother commanded), her long rat's nest of blonde hair grazing the floorboard and creating a small spread. He shifted his attention back to his game; he might as well enjoy the freedom he has left before he 'officially' became related to her.

Michelle tilted her sunglasses to view the tightly compacted boy beside her, she inwardly scowling at the sight of him. He kept his legs and arms so tightly together to avoid being anywhere near her, she knew it! Sitting all proper for mom and 'dad', smiling whenever they looked back at them, all to devour and absorb their praise and attention.

'_Suck up.' _She would've openly stated had not the two adults driving been present at the time.

She could tell that from the second they got in the car, he would do everything to show her that, in his and their view, he was better than her. He would be the 'good' child in their eyes while she would have to carry the less desirable role.

Oh, when they weren't looking, she was going to have such sweet vengeance, and on this vacation, she was going to have the utmost joy in doing so in whatever amount of freedom she had left before becoming 'officially' related to him.

Dallas, Texas

From one location to another, he sighed. At least he KNEW this one would be temporary. But despite the promised delight of 'fun and fancy free' as it was declared, he still couldn't see the purpose or point in any of it. If anything, it was just another attempt to deny reality.

"You feeling okay, Brandon?" a soft voice asked, she shifting around and looking to the dark-skinned Pilipino teenager resting his head against the glass door.

"M'fine, Mika." He sighed, his considerably young aunt nodding in reply.

"Ah, he's just saving his voice for Big Thunder Mountain" a far older man chuckled heartily, turning down to park at a rest stop.

Brandon rolled his eyes, yet like his aunt, he wasn't annoyed or angered by them. If anything, he was actually having difficulty containing his excitement. Of all places, Grandpa Spencer and Aunt Mika decide to take him along on their annual vacation to somewhere out of state, and the destination was the 'Happiest Place on Earth'.

"Maybe we should hold rides like that, dad." Mika quietly whispered, she motioning to Brandon, the old man nodding in agreement having just remembered.

It was a shame; Brandon was hoping they would forget. His source of affliction steadily beating in his chest, his eyes drooped as he felt boredom becoming a rather effective tool in making someone tired.

'_Well, at least sleeping work overexert it too much' _he echoed in his mind as the slowly approaching, peaceful black void was ripped from him by a loud, boisterous voice.

"You want a burger, scout?"

Orlando, Florida

Toby

His chocolate brown eyes opened wide as the car drove forward, the arching sign ahead with beautifully decorative cursive writing welcoming them inside.

_Walt Disney World_

_Where Dreams Come True_

"Magic Kingdom, here we come!" his mother shouted excitably, the woman more than double his age jumping up in her seat.

"Geez, Jessica! Didn't think your inner seven-year old would come out that quick!" his father exclaimed, chuckling heartily as he received a light punch to his shoulder.

"Oh, don't act like you're the 'mature' one here, Boo! Who was the one who said they couldn't wait to fill their camera with every character in the park?"

The dreaded nickname? Oh, it was on now.

Melanie

"You've been quiet. What's wrong?"

Melanie woke from her pondering state, immediately presenting her teeth in a grin to dissuade her current caretakers from suspecting anything.

"Nothing! I'm…I'm just thinking about what rides we should do first."

"Well…" Ryan pulled out his digital checklist and began listing down whatever everyone was spouting out.

Melanie herself began to shout out names and locations, the worry and anxiousness dissipating if even briefly. If anything, at least it let her pretend she was 'part' of the family.

Bobby

"Michelle!" he called out, the still upside down girl, her headphones blasting with whatever pop music he was sure would make him vomit in his mouth. His father and her mother out of the car and registering for a room at the moment, his lips curled, delighted slightly he could get away with this.

Michelle

"OW!" she blurted out, a finger having flicked her in the center of her forehead. She slumped back, her sitting position ruined as her head met the floorboard and destroyed the peaceful 'zone' she had created thanks to Hoku's _Perfect Day_. Michelle didn't even get a chance to shout a word at her 'flicker' as he had already made his exit out of the car. Whatever. It WAS going to be a perfect few days. For her, anyway.

Brandon

"You need help there, kiddo?" Grandpa Seth asked, noticing the lean boy struggling slightly to haul his two bags up down the hall.

"No thanks! I got it!" he yelled, waving to assure the old man he was fine. '_It's not like I'm made of glass, you know.'_

Mika reached into her purse to pull her card key out, which lead to her hand literally digging through every available space that was in the small bag, feeling for something small and flat.

"It's in your pocket." Brandon stated, the woman looking towards her pants and noticing an angular bulge in the back pocket.

?

"Well, is everything ready for tonight?"

"Ready as it'll ever be, a' yuck!"

"Well, all that's left now is to see who it'll be."

"Aw, phooey! Why can't we just do it ourselves?"

"That's what I want to know too. Why do we need…whoever these people are?"

"Because the barrier's been broken! We can't access the world outside and not be seen anymore! Plus, we've lost contact with everyone outside the Magic Kingdom!"

The sound of a shifting door drew all of the speaker's attention, another figure entering the room, the sound of four legs running in resonating throughout the chamber.

"Ah, there you are. Got lost again?" the speaker gave his newly joined companion a pat on the head. "Good job, boy."

"Roof, roof!" he happily barked, he obeying his master's hand motion to sit.

The figure gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Sorry, boss. Course, you know how big even this one section is."

"Well, even then, I hope you're prepared for the speech tonight. We don't know who exactly will respond well enough to the special 'surprise' in the parade tonight."

Toby

The flowerbed 'stared' into his own eyes, welcoming him into the metropolis it called its humble, yet expansive abode. He would be lying if he didn't say he was just exited. He was living on Cloud Nine with as large as an adrenaline rush his muscular, but still developing body would allow before overloading. Even then, he felt as if he could explode. His eyes surveyed and scanned the entire area of the ticket gate, he then catching his father toying with and loading a (rather outdated by his standards) camera.

"You're getting your pictures with that, dad?" he questioned with a light laugh, as his father clearly never went anywhere without his coveted iPhone tucked in his pocket.

"Oh, you laugh, but this camera here is what I used to take your baby pictures, sport."

"Dad! Not so loud!"

"Well, still. I took a snapshot of everything since you popped out of your mother, and I'm gonna take even more with this 'till I'm in the grave."

"Hey, you two!" both of them turned to see an excitable, yet jittery woman holding three tickets in her hand.

"If I miss getting a spot at riding Dumbo, I'm dragging you both on Small World!"

Melanie

She struggled to keep up with the boy, who had his hand gripped tightly around her wrist as he ran towards the Jungle Cruise, yet thankfully the line was still at a reasonably long length to get him to cease in his speed.

"You okay? Sorry if I got carried away." Ryan apologized, seeing the girl's face give a reassuring smile as if almost on cue.

"Oh no! It's fine! Besides…" she breathed out, still winded. Of course she was okay. She had to be if she wanted to make the perfect impression for him.

Melanie allowed her lungs to intake the abundant oxygen surrounding her: hot and humid, yes, but it was still air. As the two of them moved forward, the surrounding greenery and faux recordings of the rainforest drew her in further. Though fake animatronics and a tour guide spouting out jokes that fell into the 'actually funny' and 'completely predicable' categories, she couldn't help but be enthralled at what lay before her. Hopefully it wouldn't be long, she thought, before she would have permission to imagine that the flora and fauna of the uncharted, untouched land of the Earth would grace its presence to her and at her fingertips.

Bobby

"Well, Michelle…looks like your little 'dare' wasn't too carefully thought out." Bobby smirked, as the attraction before him was completely 'kid-safe'.

Before he was off to Tomorrowland with Michelle's mother and her with his father, the girl whispered something of how she had 'dared' him to go onto what was supposedly the ride 'scarier than the Haunted Mansion' (though he didn't even consider THAT ride all that terrifying), ExtraTerrorEstrial: Alien Encounter. He declined, naturally, yet with the constant pestering, jabs and accusations of his cowardice, he had finally had enough of her (as he usually did), and gave into her demands, though he made her take part in her little game as well. It was agreed that if he went on this oh so 'spine-chilling' ride, she would do the same as she would also have to suffer through Snow White's Scary Adventures, a ride she forcefully admitted she dared not step foot in as a child due to all she had heard from her friends from their trip.

Unfortunately, he couldn't hold up his end of the bargain. For ExtraTerrorEstrial had to apparently move out of town due to another alien moving in; a smaller, more blue and cute alien. In truth, Alice, Michelle's mother, had suggested the ride in the first place, and though it wasn't what she challenged him to, it would be bad form to come back with nothing to tell. Unfortunate he couldn't call her to tell her of the need to change plans as he and Alice were already inside…

Michelle

The pleasant image of Snow White and the nameless Prince being reunited and riding off together did nothing to still Michelle's pumping heart as the ride came at it's exit. The bar holding her down (and preventing her escape) lifted up, and she quickly made haste in getting out of the buggy, her body chilled and nerves still wracked from what she was forced to witness inside the ride bearing the face of possibly Disney's most innocent princess.

"Oh, Bobby…you had BETTER make good on your end!" she snarled under her breath. Rather, she tried to snarl, but it came out more like a shaky whimper.

Along with shaking, she felt like mentally kicking herself at her behavior. It was a ride! A ride based off a movie that she could proudly declare didn't scare her in the slightest to her kindergarten class, yet whether from the years of mental images of horror and the retelling of her friend's experiences, the ride with no dips, loops, or drops of any kind had her shaking like a leaf. She needed something, ANYTHING to get her to calm down (and ease her bruised ego). Her trembling legs carried her forward when she noticed something out of the corner of her eye that made her heart jump; yet the element was definitely not fear.

Though the area was crowded already and the line extensive, she WAS going there. Before her was the colorful area of water sprinklers and soft, squishy material to run around on from her youth, yet the nostalgia didn't maker her inner child sing. What caught her eye was the certain, red-haired mermaid posing with similarly admiring young girls.

'_Ariel…'_

She saw herself in them, only maximized to the highest power she could think of. As much she herself wanted to go over, she banished the thought as even she felt that a teenager walking in and being surrounded by five year olds would look 'weird', she could at least grant herself the privilege of watching from afar.

Brandon

How thrilling! How exhilarating! He was walking through what he could readily assume was a life-size Barbie Dream House, the heart shaped gate and abundance of pink everywhere only cementing his judgments further. Some far younger children, namely girls dressed in the 'owner's' signature circular ears and bow were going crazy over the fridge and inflatable cake in the oven, all the while the mouse's high, feminine voice played over and over again of how she oh so enjoyed the company. He tried to keep a neutral expression, yet his frustration was weaning through. It wasn't due to the location, far from it, as he went in knowing FULL well that 'Minnie's House' was more suited for the young girls amongst him exploring the place as if searching for buried treasure. Buried treasure…that's were he had originally wanted to be off to. But due to the suggestion of Aunt Mika, she and Grandpa Seth, they would all go together after the lines had died down for the Pirates of the Caribbean. Until then, he was stationed here at Toontown, surrounded by overly large, plastic eyed costumed characters with gaping, smiling mouths.

That didn't bother him. What bothered him were the stray words he heard his aunt whisper to his grandfather just a little too loudly about him not needing to be too excited lest he 'have another accident again'. The last 'accident' he had was when he was thirteen, and that was due to someone tackling him too hard in that very specific place when he and his friends were roughhousing in the yard!

He made his way out of the pink house and took notice to a small coaster with carts that were shaped to resemble a plane going down a small drop, children's excited (and some terrified) screams as gravity pulled them forward. Well, it was a better thrill than another house occupied by another mouse and a tree house occupied by two chipmunks.

Toby

"And that's a wrap!" his father exclaimed, the camera going back to resting around his neck and Toby moving away from the oversized Mickey Mouse, giving a small wave goodbye.

"Well, where to next?" he asked, though truthfully, he was becoming somewhat worn by the constant running around and ride interruptions due to his father's insistence to capture his son with 'everyone in the park'.

"Well…" the older man only meekly grinned, holding up the camera. "Truth be told, sport, I'm all outta film."

"As I suspected he would be." His mother called out, both of them shifting to see her dripping wet yet still keeping her face in a youthful grin.

"Splash Mountain?"

"What else? Oh, that reminds me! We gotta hurry!" she rushed over and grabbed both of them, all three of them quite literally charging out of Toontown. "The parade's about to start!"

All three of them hurried and kept themselves at a steady jogging pace given the already bustling crowd, until all of them began to take places alongside the sides of the road where individual park goers and crew alike were setting themselves aside for the sake of the show. Toby surveyed and studied the growing crowd, one stray face catching his eye. He could identify her due to (though not meaning it offensively) her assumed 'family' being of Caucasian while she was clearly of Hispanic descent. She had somewhat flowing, brown hair that stopped at her shoulders, her head adorned with a green beanie with three pins stuck into the right side. She wore a purple shirt with sleeves that only covered her shoulders, with two necklaces that looped around her neck, one with a golden star and another with a simple, multi-colored bead, the latter of shorter length and coming up above the star. She had a bolder colored cotton jacket of purple wrapped around her waist with grey cargo capris and monochromatic sneakers with a white, rubber welt, laces, and trims.

Melanie

Melanie pushed some hair back behind her left ear, her two earrings gently grazing her finger joints, her eyes wandering around and observing the growing crowd. The multitude of people with their families drew her interest and bursting curiosity. She could easily identify who had their children with them, who was without or expecting, yet what captured and widened her eye were the mixed families. A parent that was off color with their child, or one spouse or child didn't match the others. True, she couldn't identify ALL of them by race alone, yet the factor was a given for the ones she could pinpoint. If anything, it brought forth the nagging, tearing feeling in her chest she had been trying to suppress. She dared not look back at those she was with, lest they see her eyes growing more and more moist.

'_No! Please…you can do this later, just not now!'_

She needed something; ANYTHING to lessen the growing weight that had began to sap the strength from her knees. If they saw she couldn't handle this, maybe they'd prefer to have someone who COULD handle being on a…family vacation.

Her watering eyes searched fruitlessly back and forth until she spotted rather vibrant movement caused by two figures, more specifically, a boy and girl around her age. Both were blonde and had white skin, though the girl presented more of a tan, yet the hair and skin color was where the similarities ended. He wore a denim short sleeve with a collared opening, the grey undershirt having some sort of indistinguishable logo, beige shorts matching with his upper attire and simple, brown shoes. His hair was short enough to still qualify as 'boyish' in her eyes, yet it was fanned out and flipped outward, ending at his neckline and perfectly complementing his azure blue eyes.

The girl he was arguing with was an entirely different case altogether. She wore a white tank top with black rims, a black chocker resting comfortably on her throat and what appeared to be glow sticks fashioned into a necklace positioned to encompass to the beginning of her shoulders. What she believed to be a skirt soon revealed itself to be a 'skort' as the leg of the jean shorts was seen hiding behind the flap kept in place by two silver buttons. She wore two white, athletic looking shoes with blue stripes and trims, her socks ankle length and one nearly ducking under her heel. Day and night wasn't good enough: to compare the boy and girl was to compare an apple to rhubarb: they both existed yet bore no likeness to the other. The girl had her bangs swept to the left side, a blue headband resting atop. She had some of her hair tied back in a messily done small ponytail, the rest of it revealing how wild and feathery her blonde locks were. Yet still, she had enough to spare for two, thin braids being done and shifted behind her ears, her hoop earrings open and ready for viewing. Yet given the active and energetic look of her tawny irises, her appearance suited her well.

Bobby and Michelle

"You totally cheated!"

"Did not! It's not like I could just make them bring the 'scarier' alien back! If anything, Michelle, maybe this is a good time to teach you of the wonders of karma…"

"Oh shut up." She hissed, loud enough for him to hear, yet just enough of a whisper so it wouldn't reach her mother's (or his father's) ears. "It's about to start anyway."

She HATED it when he was right, and she found out that he was almost ALWAYS right (those few moments he wasn't she reveled and treasured with her life). She dared him because she wanted to make him come close to wetting his shorts, yet she was found nearly doing so because of her desire to see him shivering in his shoes. Why was that so wrong? She didn't want to cause bodily harm to him! If anything, wasn't that what 'siblings' were supposed to do? Tease each other? Yet still, she couldn't deny that her conscience was correct in saying that she deserved it.

Bobby, while feeling satisfied upon seeing the confident and prideful girl had gotten herself terrified over a plastic model of an old hag, it was immediately followed by a twinge of guilt. What for though, he wondered. She's the one who provoked him and it serves her right that she got herself freaked out over something so stupid (at the dreaded alien she hoped would frighten him would've at least be somewhat chilling). Yet even then, he knew it didn't look good on his part to enjoy her (though rather irrational) fear.

Throughout their character analysis of themselves, both sets of eyes caught glimpse of someone shuffling with something in his beige shorts pocket, the chain accessory jingling due to the activity. The boy seemed to be of Philippine descent with spiked up hair and deep brown eyes. He wore a camo t-shirt and a black sleeveless zip up sweater jacket, a black wristband resting on his left arm. His brown sneakers shifted and scuffled on the ground beneath as his hand kept toying and messing with whatever interesting object was kept in his pocket.

Brandon

His fingers twirled and held the plastic base of the stray lighter he had found, the object's surface perfectly level and smooth against his somewhat callused hand. His aunt and grandfather had no idea what he was fiddling around with, and if they did, he knew well that they would immediately confiscate if from him. He couldn't understand; he KNEW perfectly well how to use it, and it wasn't like he was going to break it out and start torching the buildings around him!

Despite the ill-conceived notion, ultimately, he kept the movements of his hand at a minimum to not draw their attention. It wasn't much, but the notion he was holding and essentially playing around with an instrument he could use to 'summon' fire at his will and command brought forth a small sense of control. No one was watching him, the presumably 'vulnerable' and 'fragile' boy have such a tool at his fingertips. He was in control of the fire. He had power over the fire.

"You okay there, kiddo?"

"Uh…yeah! Just fine, Grandpa."

"Well, just let us know if this gets to be too much for you, okay?"

"…will do, Aunt Mika."

The second they turned away, his farce smile dropped into an irritated frown. He understood their position perfectly, he truly did, but he wasn't made of glass! The slightest bit of excitement wasn't going to literally 'kill' him!

Before any of the 'excitement' could get started, his curiosity was activated upon seeing someone on the parallel side of him.

An African American boy around his age stood with what he assumed to be his parents, his father holding firm onto an old model camera around his neck and his mother bopping up and down akin to someone ten years younger than either of them. Their presumably more composed child wore a red varsity jacket with white, rolled up sleeves and a black shirt underneath. He wore light jean shorts with black socks and red tennis shoes, white bands going upward to the tongue of the shoe. His black hair was shaved and nearly mere stubble atop his scalp, his large, deep brown eyes shifting back to his parents, then to the crowd, waiting for the show to start.

?

One of the figures in the darkened chamber ran towards the enormous screen, the image of the split crowds of tourists and their families not-so-patiently awaiting their promised parade.

"Everything ready, guys?" the figure squeaked, his two, perfectly spherical ears perking upward.

"Systems are a-go, boss." A far larger, more humanoid shape replied, he turning his chair back to the keyboard he was stationed at, he too observing the screen.

"Who do ya think will be able to see it out of all these here people?" a taller, lankier shape inquired, coming up beside his large eared companion.

"And whoever happens TO see it," a quacking voice spoke, his frustration rising, yet everyone present knew well it was only due to their situation. "How are we going to know they'll be able to doing ANYTHING to help?"

"We haven't even met them yet!" a feminine, confident voice rang out to retort. "We can't go and start making any assumptions! Besides, we've GOT to attract the attention of someone with at least some muscle on them…"

"Isn't THAT making an assumption?" a higher pitched, yet equally feminine voice squeaked out. She looked towards the one bearing ears identical to hers. "I'm not saying I doubt you, but it's true. We don't know WHO we're going to get."

The one she addressed sighed, making his way towards the human feverously typing away at the expansive keyboard.

"You're right, we don't know. We don't know if they'll even come once we send out their invitation. But…" his eyes still gazed upon the screen. "But we don't have any other options. Out there, there's someone with 'his' spark. 'His' strength and tenacity, and…" he halted, his voice on the verge of breaking. No one needed to ask the reason, as even now, every conversation dealing with 'him' brought lingering wounds back "…'his' imagination…"

The room went silent, the big-eared figure's companions beginning to share in his repressed pain. He felt a four-legged shape draw forward and nuzzle against his slightly taller form, he placing a gloved hand on the canine's head in thankfulness. His eyes regaining a slight amount of dryness to them, he looked to the human beside him, nodding in approval.

"Alright, guys. Let's show 'em why this is the place where dreams come true."

Note: So sorry, but I want to limit the chapter sizes to the maximum of 11-12 pages long. What happens next would make it last probably around 16-20. Thank you guys for your support, and hopefully I'll get another one out soon! Thank you all, and thank you, CurlyFirefly!


	2. Chapter 2-Midnight Surprise

Note: It's been awhile, sorry. But NONE of my updates are on an scheduele, so this is a norm for me. More exposition, yes, but this time, things get a little…trippy. Hope you enjoy!

Characters and locations © of Disney

Chapter 2-Midnight Surprise

The chattering and growing sea of mummers began to die down upon the sound of an orchestral score reaching everyone's ears, whatever conversation about the weather or anything else immediately coming to a halt. As soon as the lyrics to accompany the booming music began, everyone saw fit to erupt in an equally loud, booming cheer, an all-too-familiar voice ringing just a pitch of volume above the excitable sea of tourists.

"Welcome to the splendor, the spectacle, the sparkling sensation, where the comedy and thrill of Disney fantasies come to electric life. And now, the Magic Kingdom proudly presents, in a million points of musical light, the magic worlds of Disney…in Spectro Magic!"

Toby

The African American high schooler felt it all a little too bizarre. Of course, the scheduled float bearing the title of the parade, studded in those 'million points of musical light' (though how light could be considered musical was beyond him), the spherical floats of equally sparkling lights 'floating' on by along with the jester-like figures garbed in lights pranced and blew their trumpets, something didn't feel…normal. Normal was the best word to describe it, as he didn't exactly know WHAT to call the strange, unnerving sensation going down his spine. A boy of his physique was quite ready and able to leap and dash out of danger's way, yet he didn't feel fear, more along the lines of…peculiarity. An element in the environment around him had changed, yet he couldn't for the life of him discern what. His cheering parents along with the rest of the crowd around him rang no bells, yet his eyes caught something that instantly gave him the answer he had been searching for.

Having gone some years ago and seen this parade as a child, along with all the viewing from his father's treasured home videos, he knew the part early on in the parade where Mickey, garbed in an unmoving, glowing cape would play around with a glass ball with electricity touching the walls, he thinking this was the source powering the parade when he was young, he thought. Yet what met his sight was both what fit his description of the parade, yet it was also something he had NEVER seen and NEVER thought possible.

Mickey was there, stationed atop the platform toying with the electric ball, yet it bore no likeness to the costumed mascot he met with earlier that day on his father's frivolous picture crusade, in fact, in didn't bear any likeness to anything human. What he saw was a small figure with a large head and perfectly circular ears that he estimated would reach up to his thigh. His limbs were thinner than, quite literally, humanly possible, enlarged hands and feet completing the figure's form perfectly. It was Mickey Mouse. Not a costumed employee or even as farfetched as it sounded, some robotic addition to the parade, but THE Mickey Mouse. Toby couldn't help but freeze up upon seeing the mouse's oval eyes shift over and look directly at him: not the crowd where he was standing, HIM. The mouse's lips curled into a cheerful, greeting smile, though this did little to ease his peaking confusion and panic.

"Some night we're having, huh?"

Toby's breath caught in his throat. He spoke. He spoke in a PERFECTLY executed impression, no, it WAS Mickey Mouse's voice. As the float rolled on by, the small dose of unreal phenomenon now presented itself on full display for the teenager to see fully. The musical section lead by a costumed Genie now was replaced by a blue specter, his uniform still worn, yet his legs were entirely missing, the ghostly tail that bore much more transparency whizzing and swirling around as he conducted now 'floating' instruments. Where the costumed Goofy should've been was, of course, a 'real' Goofy stood, banging on the drums and going completely off Genie's tempo, yet both seemed to not care as the blaring background music took care of whatever mishap the dog made.

"Aw yeah! Swing it, Goofy!" the azure being of 'phenomenal cosmic power' joyfully exclaimed, this intensifying Goofy's performance even more.

Toby's mouth then openly unhinged at the sight that lay before him afterward. As he expected, Chip and Dale would be playing the piano dressed in white, lit up tuxedos. Yet they were not so much playing as much as dancing on the keys. Rather, Chip was hopping from one key to another attempting to keep up with the notes, while Dale casually (and not so gracefully) pirouetted and hopped in the fashion of a ballerina only to fall flat on his face, his companion sighing and lifting him up before giving him a light knock on the back of the head.

"I know it's not going to matter if I even say this, but…"

Melanie

_'What in the WORLD is going on?!'_

She couldn't do anything but stand flabbergasted at what lay before her. Two small rodents were 'playing' a piano, and before that…Genie and Goofy…and before that, Mickey…she had to have lost her mind. There was no other explanation, she was clinically insane or had now just discovered her buried strain of schizophrenia had decided to reveal itself. Then a float displaying a giant peacock was coming forward, the bird bowing and presenting itself to the crowd. Definitely schizophrenia.

Her curiosity reaching its peak, she turned her head and looked around, studying the faces of everyone around her: her 'chaperones' and their…children, the people surrounding them, and then the people surrounding them. All were cheering and had a smile plastered on their faces, yet…no one seemed at all shocked or confused as to what was going on; almost as if…they couldn't see what she saw. Out of her peripheral vision came an intense, green glow, the brightness of it overpowering and when she turned to see the source of it, it took every muscle and every ounce of what little bravery she had to not hightail it from that spot that very instant.

An enormous dragonfly fluttered in front of her, its large multi-sectioned eyes being the source of the intense light. Her eyes slightly adjusting to the glow, Melanie could then focus on the insect's large, multi-colored wings. Each section of the thin material was comprised of a different pastel color, they melding and melting into each other, swirls and smudges of color colliding with each other. Looking past her newest company, she expected to find as much, she saw similar giant insects fluttering and going down the street: butterflies of the purest glowing wings, and more dragonflies akin to her visitor.

"Ooooh, would you get back here! You'll scare somebody!"

The bug turned its long body towards the source of the voice, it then turning to give Melanie one last look before begrudgingly obeying whomever commanded it. She quickly found out whom the voice belonged to.

A float with a forest setting slowly strolled on by, three older women were stationed atop it: all three sporting what she compared to either medieval or renaissance era clothing with pointed hats, carrying long sticks of white with shining lights emitting from the tips. Yet the most telling sign of who they were was the pair of small wings protruding from each of their backs.

Fauna noticed the stray dragonfly had zoomed back, he instantly going to her both out of eagerness and avoidance of the blue one that demanded he come back.

"Hmm? Yes, what's that dear?" she asked, the incest buzzing and flapping his wings excitedly. Once he had relayed his message, the green fairy gained a similar expression and pulled her two sisters close.

"Flora, Merrywhether! We found one! We found one!"

The blue dressed fairy's mind instantly turned from the parade. "What?! Already!?"

"Did he tell you who, Fauna? Who is it?" Flora inquired, attempting to keep calm, yet she was just about to burst due to the announcement.

"It's a girl! It's a sweet, lovely girl!" Fauna exclaimed, she motioning her wand to an already flabbergasted Melanie, both her fear and confusion at an all time high.

Michelle

"Okay, so…it's official I'm not the only one seeing this?"

"Yep. And unless somebody spiked the Cokes in the vending machines, I don't know HOW we're seeing this."

Giant insects were one thing, yet the strange forces behind this bizarre twisting of reality seemed to like to top themselves. Fish. Giant fish. Giant fish bobbing up and down as if in water. The lighting effects on them seemed to be more of an afterthought to the both of them.

"Hey, there baby!" one red fish greeted, Michelle stepping back a bit whilst Bobby firmly reminded her with a grip to her arm that they probably shouldn't draw too much attention, more then they've already attracted apparently. The fish continued. "Maybe you and I can catch some waves sometime later." He winked before 'floating' down the road.

"No thanks, buddy." Michelle replied, feeling quite awkward due to a fish of all things flirting with her (though she couldn't entirely blame him, she WAS a bombshell to look at in her personal opinion), and the fact Bobby would kill her if she raised her voice too loud. "I don't do sushi." While the retort didn't earn her a tongue lashing, it earned her an eye roll from her 'brother to be'. "What?" she defensively asked, he sighing in response.

"Look, I'm just as confused as you are, but really, let's just wait until we get back to the hotel before either of us-"

"OH MY GOSH! LOOK!"

Too late. He would've berated her right there, but he looked ahead to see what had stirred his equally aged, yet obviously less mature, 'sister to be' into such a frenzy. He soon got his answer.

"Oh, Flounder! There they are!"

Michelle's attention was quickly drawn away from the octopus, another float coming forward, her adrenaline soon being replaced with serotonin as she immediately pin-pointed out a young woman with vibrant red hair sitting atop a platform. She came closer, she and her fish friend looking to them instantly.

"Hi!" Ariel waved, Flounder doing likewise with one small blue fin.

Michelle didn't care if it wasn't 'real' or not anymore. Her hero had just addressed her. "Hi! Oh gosh, I am SUCH a fan! I-" her words were halted by a hand clasping over her mouth.

The mermaid couldn't help but giggle at this. _'He and Sebastian would probably get along.' _

"Hey, how did you get your hair like that?" Arial inquired, Michelle's heart stopping upon hearing her speaking to her once again. "You mind showing me how when you get the chance?"

"I…I…oh…oh gosh…I…s-sure! I'd LOVE to! Anything for you!"

Bobby

All he could do was hold his head in his hands and do his best to pretend he didn't know the girl he was standing next to at that moment. If Michelle's 'fan-girling' wasn't enough, he already noticed many eyes beginning to shift their way, some people whispering to themselves about the two crazy kids across from them, he thought. Looking to her, he saw that she was still extremely giddy, even after the 'animated' mermaid had passed, he just going back and attempting to make sense of whatever was happening.

The theories were quickly being slaughtered, and the alligator attempting to lift up a hippo garbed in a tutu didn't help matters in the slightest. The reptile must've noticed him (oh, weren't THEY popular tonight) as he struggled under the water mammal's weight.

"Hey kid! You wanna take a lift?" he asked, his voice strained.

The hippo looked down at her 'partner', giddily smiling and stroking his bill with a free hand. "Oh, isn't my sweetie-plum just the greatest? So strong…and handsome!"

"I am NOT your sweetie-plum!"

"Playing hard to get just makes you cuter!"

"Whatever."

The float passed by, the two of them still conversing on the status of their 'relationship' as even MORE ballet-dancing animals came into view, namely ostriches. They didn't seem to be busy, as he didn't see any MALE ostriches or any male animals around them for that matter. He swallowed hard, hopping the noise of the music and cheering crowd would be enough to drown out the noise.

"Uh, hello? Hello!"

One turned her head towards him. "Hm? Oh! You can see us?"

"Well, yeah. Hey listen, what's going on-"

"Oh girls! We found another one!" she reported to her fellow 'flock' each of them happily bouncing at the news.

"Oh, Mickey will be happy to hear about this!"

Bobby's eyes grew wide. Did they mean **that **Mickey? The Mickey had seen at the beginning of this whole 'invisible' fiasco? Something bigger was going on, he suspected that much, but for what? More importantly, why? Oh no, the float was going away!

"Wait! What's going on? What do you mean another one?"

Brandon

"I mean that you're one of 'them'."

"Yep, one of 'them' alright!"

"Definitely one of 'them'."

Brandon was surprised that his heart hadn't given out at this point due to the fact that three pigs were now talking to him. Upon seeing the characters had…he didn't know what to call it, but he knew he could interact with them, and decided to then start 'interrogating' each one that he could catch the attention of.

"One of whom?" he asked, knowing the parade was near its end. "Who am I in this? Who's 'them'?"

The three swine looked to each other, then back to him. "We can't say for sure yet."

"Not yet, but just you wait."

"Yeah, wait. Ask the other guys."

"Other guys?"

"No time to talk!"

"Here they come now!"

"Get your questions out to them!"

The Philippine teenager looked down the path, more and more characters bending his reality to their will walking and waving to the unsuspecting crowd or doing so from atop floats. As the floats moved closer, his brown irises caught glimpse of a female mouse and a duck garbed in navy wear greeting the excitable crowd, both of them stopping instantly upon seeing him focusing intensely on them and them alone.

Minnie was the first to speak. "I suppose you're waiting for an explanation, right?"

"That's the general idea." Brandon responded. "Either I'm insane, or these are some of the best special effects I've ever seen. It can't be both."

"Well…" Donald started, feathered finger tapping his bill. "It's kinda…well…it's sort of…"

"Let me guess: complicated, right? Sorry, but I'm kinda tired of hearing the same thing over and over again."

"Don't interrupt me! I was gonna say that!"

"Donald, please!" the mouse shushed, the duck folding his arms in a huff, still pouting. "I promise, Brandon, we'll-"

"Wait, what did you say? How in the world do you know my name?"

"Like I said, we'll explain everything later. For now…" she looked back, Donald going back to waving and interacting with the crowd, but NOT facing the teenager that vexed him. "For now, it'd be best for you to just enjoy the rest of the parade tonight and get some rest." The float went on by, she turning her head around to still face him before turning back. "You'll need it for what's to come."

The boy's confidence and fiery determination for answers halted and literally froze over. What's to come? He was at Disney World! His grandfather and aunt brought him here to ride rides (or at least whatever they deemed not too 'stressful' for him), and chew bubblegum. Of course, he was all out of gum. Yet the fact stood that he was here on VACATION. Last time he checked, vacations were the perfect excuses to go crazy with everything you can get your hands on (his urges were growing), and be a lazy slob all at the same time! What was this whole thing to come?!

"Some show, huh sport?" his grandfather's husky voice asked, he shifting his eyes from the ending parade to the elderly man.

"Y-yeah! Sure thing!"

Disney Hotels

Toby smiled like his parents, they still going on about how well the day had went. He couldn't deny it, yet the all-encompassing confusion unseen by only him he assumed set back his early, happy encounters with characters and riding rides. His mind wandered back to Mickey. Truth be told, he was one of the few that actually directly communicated with him. Though he was somewhat grateful for it, the fact he communicated with him at all still unnerved him. Not in the sense that the mouse would possibly harm him (it was freaking Mickey Mouse of all people!), yet the element of 'how' eluded him. It was that missing element that kept his mind on edge, almost as if he was facing the opposing team at school again: counting each player, looking for any gaps or weak links in the group, forming a strategy in his mind to victory. For now, the 'how' was the victory, yet…he had no idea how to get to it.

RING! RING!

The African American boy nearly leapt out of his skin, his parents drawn from their activities to see such an uncharacteristic display of fright from their son.

"You alright there, honey?" his mother asked, he making his way to his cell phone ringing on the table.

He opened it, sighed, and then went into the bathroom. "Hello?" he asked, though he knew well who it was.

"Oh hi! Oh, it's not too late is it?" a feminine voice rang out, bubbly and optimistic, a slight hint of an Asian accent lining the voice.

"No, I was just getting ready for bed. Looks like you caught me at the right time, Tiffany." He responded, inwardly groaning to himself.

"Good! So, how was the Happiest Place on Earth today?"

"It…it was good." He rushed out, not exactly wishing to be open with what happened tonight just yet, possibly never.

Tiffany instantly detected the nervousness in his voice. "The Happiest Place on Earth was just 'good'? Toby…are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, fine! Look, I've gotta go to bed soon, so I'll see you later Tiffany."

"Hey, wait! Let's decide on times for me to call!"

"Could that wait until tomorrow?"

"Great idea, you call me!"

"What?! Wait, I didn't mean-"

"You're always so sweet, Toby! Buh-bye!"

He couldn't get another word out as the phone hung up. Oh wonderful. He'd probably forget to even call her at all, which would then lead to her calling him, which would lead to him getting an earful from her about how 'he didn't call' and 'where he was' and most cringe worthy, 'don't you like talking to me'.

He brushed his teeth, mouthwash included, he washed it all out with a small cup of water before making his dwelling place for the next few hours in the bed by the window. His father had the TV turned on, Total Recall playing on the screen. Toby couldn't look at the screen for long, turning away from the TV and looking to the blinded window.

"You all right, Toby?" his father asked, his usually joyful tone now with a twinge of worry.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I'm just…" he paused, feigning a yawn. "…just a little tired, that's all."

"Well then, rest up because it's going to be like this for a whole week!" he answered, his happy, almost childish vigor returning instantly.

_'For the rest of the week…hope not.'_

12:00 AM

All five teenagers had their eyelids flutter open, the clocks in each bedroom making each inwardly groan. Once they were up, they were up, and going BACK to sleep was what required effort, yet for some unexplainable reason…each of them had their nerves on edge and hair rising on the back of their necks. No one could discern why such a response was felt, yet the sensation was clear: something was not right.

Toby

His cell phone began to vibrate, the white, hot light shining through the darkness. He grabbed it, mainly due to the fact his parents would undeniably be rather irritable being woken up at this hour, yet what stirred his mind was WHO in the world would be calling him at this hour of night?

"Hello?" he whispered.

His blood ran cold upon hearing the squeaky, high-pitched voice that answered him.

"Get to the Monorail station as fast as you can, Toby. And yes, this IS who you think it is."

Melanie

"Brouw! Raow, raow!"

"Pluto! Put that down! I don't think she speaks dog."

Oh, so THAT explained the indescribable barking. For a second, she though she had fallen for a prank call. She assumed Minnie had gotten ahold of the phone as she could hear her more clearly.

Bobby and Michelle

"How can you be so freaking calm?! Donald and Daisy freaking Duck are calling us-"

"Would you just be quiet? I'm TRYING to listen to what he's saying."

"You're trying to listen to what HE'S saying? I'm surprised you can even understand it." Michelle remarked, slipping on her shirt.

Bobby ignored her, turning his attention back to his conversation whilst apparently she had already gone back to hers.

"…I'm not THAT hard to understand…right?"

Brandon

"Okay, so just go to the Monorail station? How long is this even going to take?" Brandon inquired the dog communicating to him as he strolled down the hotel's hallway.

"Yep! Just go on ahead, and get on the first train ya see! You'll know you're in the right place when them other kids arrive too."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Other kids? What other kids-"

A crash was heard before the connection died, Brandon cursing Goofy's trademark antics as he quickened his pace.

Monorail Station

It didn't take too long of a walk from the hotel to this location. At least from Toby's perspective, yet given his role in his school's 'pride and joy' of financing itself, it was probably mainly due to the endurance he was forced to build. The mouse he couldn't believe even now he had just conversed with was indeed correct; the train-like transportation system was indeed there, yet he was the only one there.

"He-hello?" a small, feminine voice asked.

Coming out of the shadows was the same girl he had caught sight of before the parade started, her beanie still snug around her head.

"Oh…uh…hello." Toby replied, while indeed expecting others to come as his contact DID say, he didn't exactly expect it to be her of all people.

Melanie, upon seeing he recognized her, she felt her nerves ease up slightly, she looking around to see if anyone else had come yet. "So…I guess I'm not the only one who saw something…'weird' tonight?"

"No way! You too?!"

Both teens turned their heads to see two blondes running towards them, the boy lagging behind the girl whose braids were bouncing wildly. Now it was Melanie's turn to be hit with déjà vu.

"Wait…you two saw Mickey and…and those giant bugs?"

"Forget the bugs! Did you see those fish? They were, like, swimming in air!" Michelle retorted, Bobby only nodding in reply.

"That and dancing alligators, hippos, and ostriches. Oh my."

"Looks like I'm last to the party."

All four now looked back to see the final one apparently called that night, his eyes intensely gazing upon the train-like vehicle.

"And did anyone get anymore answers than I did?" he inquired, everyone then considering his words before answering.

"Nope."

"I didn't really even ask."

"How could you even think to ask when there's GIANT FISH?"

"Not exactly."

Before the conversation could go on any longer, the doors of the Monorail opened up, revealing an eerily quiet and completely empty train, awaiting five new passengers to come inside.

"You can talk and introduce yourselves when you get on. Please, hurry! This is the only time we're able to do this! All aboard!" Mickey's voice rang through the vehicle's speakers, all five of them still rattled and fearful of even stepping on the train.

All five looked to each other, Toby to Melanie, Michelle to Bobby, and Bobby to Brandon. No one really had ANY idea of what exactly was going on, yet the things the saw that night…and how they were the only ones to see such things…something was going on; something bizarre, unnatural, and completely…literally unreal. It was something that each of them, despite their fear, did want answers for. That was all that was needed for each teenager to step into the Monorail, the doors closing behind him or her and then moving forward, taking him or her to wherever the mouse in charge had in mind to take them.

Note: There's no way I can't make that NOT sound creepy. But really, in a way, given all the things seen, I'd probably want answers too. Plus, it's Mickey Mouse, he's practically harmless! Or is he? Reviews are encouraged and suggestions are welcome!


	3. Chapter 3-Introduction to the Impossible

Note: This is LONG overdue. Truth be told, I kinda forgot about this one as it's the one that didn't get a lot of attention, plus I'm having a far easier and more therapeutic time writing my Mega Man, Sonic, and DBZ/SM crossover fics. I'll be honest, this thing was written during a time where I was going through a rough stage in my life emotionally. I won't go into details mainly because baiting my readers from my other fics and this one (if there are any) isn't fair and is just sick to use that to get attention, but the three I listed up there are serving as my way to help cope. It's not that I don't WANT to do more, but I'm having difficulties finding a place to get everything started. Anyhow, though I probably won't be as active on this compared to the others, I may consider continuing this if I can find a way to get things to run smoother.

Chapter 3: Introduction to the Impossible

All characters and settings © of Disney

Toby glanced out at the dark, almost pitch black world passing all five of them by, not one of them having said a word since they boarded the monorail mysteriously running after hours because 'Mickey Mouse' commanded them to. Speaking of the others, he looked over to them all: the Hispanic girl was sitting parallel to him, eyes downcast and twiddling her thumbs, the Philippine boy standing and hanging onto a railing, having a better view of the outside from the panes of the doors, and the 'twins' of sorts were stationed parallel to each other as well, though both were sharing looks of confusion and bewilderment at what had and what was currently happening. He sighed; it was too silent, he couldn't stand it.

"So…" he started, everyone's eyes turning towards him. Fantastic, he thought. Now HE was the nervous one. "Um…some night, huh?"

Silence. Wonderful method perfectly executed.

"So…who called you on the phone? Truth be told, Mickey himself actually called me up."

The Philippine boy was the first one to speak. "I got Goofy."

The blonde girl was next. "Daisy and I chatted for a bit."

Her 'twin' went after. "Donald. Both of us got the ducks."

Finally, the Hispanic girl spoke. "Technically, Pluto answered the phone, but I think Minnie meant to call me."

'Well, at least they're talking' an unseen figure observed, he drawing the monorail ever forward to their destination, listening in more on their now full blown conversation.

"Am I the only one that thinks that this ENTIRE thing is a little too convenient?" the blonde boy stated. "I mean, how many people were there at the parade, yet only US five saw anything?"

"Excuse me?"

Everyone looked to the Hispanic girl, she still nervously shifting her hands. "If we're going to go into what happened tonight, shouldn't we maybe…well, know each other's names first? I mean…'Mickey' or whomever that was said we could introduce ourselves later…"

The blonde boy was somewhat impressed. Forethought was usually his trait, yet he couldn't help but notice her rather poorly hidden anxiety over the situation. He couldn't exactly blame her: they all had just boarded a 'magical' trolley being taken to who knew where, all because an anthropomorphic mouse had told them to. Yet, the same mouse DID tell them they could introduce themselves later, and it was technically later, so…

"Okay. Hi. I'm Robert, or Bobby." He stated.

The girl sharing almost every feature with him minus his eye color spoke up next. "I'm Michelle. And let me point out there's NO relation." She motioned towards Bobby, of whom scoffed.

"No relation YET."

The Philippine boy kept his eyes on the doors still, blocking out their petty squabble. "Brandon."

"Okay." Toby looked to all, seeing if he had their attention. "I'm Toby. And you?"

The Hispanic girl jumped a bit then shrank even further into her seat, brown eyes darting around to see everyone waiting for answer. "M-my name's Melanie. But-"

"Get ready guys! Your stop's almost here!" the high pitched, perfectly executed Mickey voice rang through the practically empty monorail, all five STILL not entirely convinced of the existence of the one possibly speaking to them.

Just as he stated, the monorail DID stop, right at the station outside the Magic Kingdom, the same part of the park they had all been present at earlier in the day. The doors opened, the mechanics operating them hissing as the latches bent back, the cool, late night air of Florida chilling their skins as each of them slowly stepped off the train. How different that Magic Kingdom looked at night…what was once joyous and inviting now seemed ominous and repelling. Yet they had come this far now, and neither one of them believed that the monorail would be taking them back to the hotel anytime soon. All five teenagers walked towards the presumably empty park, only to stop at seeing a few streams of light coming from various directions. Of course the park wouldn't be COMPLETELY empty! They had completely forgotten about the night staff!

"Don't worry." the same squeaky voice assured them, all of them soon having their jaws agape at whom was coming toward them. "They can't see either you or me."

Toby's toned; shapely body was shaking like a leaf. "You're…oh gosh, you're-"

"Sure am, pal!" Mickey confirmed, turning around to display his 'genuine' existence to them all.

"So…" Bobby held his temple in his hand. "So NONE of that was a hallucination?"

"Nope. Not meaning to be so forward, but I'm glad that someone out there could see it."

"No, I don't believe it." Brandon shook his head. "This…this isn't possible!"

"Believe it, Brandon. You're here BECAUSE you believe it, OW!"

"Michelle!" Bobby shouted, the crazy-haired, blonde girl having one of the mouse's largely proportioned ears in her grasp, pulling it and revealing its 'cartoonish' flexibility.

"Just checking to see if he's real!" she retorted, letting go. "Sorry, just making sure." She apologized, one arm behind her head with a sheepish grin plastered on her face.

"Y-yeah, well…" Mickey rubbed the sore sphere of black. "Maybe you could be a little more gentle next time?"

Melanie was just as flabbergasted as everyone else, yet her eyes were once again caught by the flashlight beams that the night staff carried with them, their beacons to dispel the darkness and hide nothing from their all seeing eyes…

"What do you mean that they can't see us? They've GOT flashlights."

Mickey looked towards the entrance to the park, then back to the teens, he motioning them forward. "Don't worry about a thing. It'll all be explained when we get to the castle. Just follow me."

Follow him they did, through the main gate, and right in line with the multitude of flashlights beaming. All of them were hesitant to move on, yet the mouse kept motioning them to come forward, his understanding of their obvious confusion and skepticism clear, but his patience was running thin.

"C'mon! We're running late as it is!"

"Um, hello?" Brandon motioned towards the guards. "They'll catch us!"

"They won't see you! C'mon!"

"My parents will KILL me if they find out I'm out at this hour, heck, even out their sight if it's not at school!" Toby retorted, befuddled by 'how' the mouse expected them to simply walk in front of these people so casually without being caught. That was when he saw a long, feathered veil of hair pass in front of him.

"Well…" Michelle stated, stepping forward. "One giant step for mankind." With that, she practically leapt forward, the guard's beam missing her by centimeters.

She wasn't allowed to gloat for long however, though she rather enjoyed the expressions of awe at her feat, as she felt a beam of light make contact with her, or rather…pass through her. Now she was joining in with the other four, all of them staring with jaws unhinged and agape as the beam from the flashlight seemingly passed through her waist, the guard walking forward and his entire being then phasing right through her!

Mickey couldn't help but chuckle at their responses. "Told ya so. Now hurry! We've got to get to the castle."

The teenagers quickened their pace greatly, eyes still wandering and wondering as to how and why they had been 'evicted' from their present reality, they all still questioning that what was transpiring before them was STILL reality. It was a factor none of them thought to consider before, but the Magic Kingdom appeared almost unrecognizable at night. The nearly nonexistent light located in various locations, the beams of the unsuspecting guard's flashlights and the moon above serving as the only reliable light sources as they, while going as fast as they could, only seemed to stumble around in the dark. The towering structures of Main Street were cloaked in pure shadow, giving the image they were also on patrol, keeping an unknown city safe from whatever threat dared to possibly harm it. The various rides ahead of them did not help matters, the heavy shadows they cast making the once colorful, all too inviting attraction look akin to a unknown mechanical device stationed in a particular location, the height and scale of the structure only unnerving them even more. Toby only kept his eyes on everyone else, he himself attempting to mask his own fear. Melanie had her arms wrapped around her, she pulling her green beanie further down on her head, making sure that she was at least moving forward with everyone else. Michelle had Bobby in an embrace with a single arm, she attempting to appear fearless and bold, yet her insistence to not let the boy go despite his growing annoyance only served to cement she too was afraid. Brandon tagged further behind the four, his eyes studying the alien environment around them, his heart, while tense and uneasy, thumped with excitement and anticipation. After a long trek through the open, vast area of unfamiliarity riddled with déjà vu, they looked up to see that they had reached their destination, it possibly being the most foreboding and unwelcoming sights yet.

"Well, here we are." Mickey exclaimed. "Hey Minnie!" he shouted, the highest up window lighting up with a hot, white light. "I got 'em!"

Mickey continued forward, all five teens following suit, stepping through the arches of the massive building, now they too now were being enveloped in complete darkness. They continued walking forward, the curves of the 'hallway' of sorts unnerving them even more as though they knew that only more of the park waited on the other side, the silent ambience and chilled air of the night air perpetuating the sense of both mystery and tension. Mickey stopped at the curve dictating their swerved journey through the tunnel, he placing his gloved hand on the darkened mural invisible to their eyes. A white, bright light outlined itself around his hand, which soon broke apart with the lines fashioning themselves into a rectangular shape bending to the shape of the wall. The 'door' opened itself, revealing a medium sized elevator of golden walls with a red, velvet floor.

"Shall we?" the mouse rhetorically asked, all five steadily stepping in with him going in last.

The door shut itself and the elevator began moving upward, the silence surrounding them too much to bear and each of them in desperate need for it to be shattered.

"So…" Toby started, trying to ease his own tension. "What's the deal here?" he asked the mouse. "Why did only us five get called here?"

"Yeah." Bobby chided in. "And a further point, why were we the only ones that, I assume, saw…whatever happened at the parade tonight?"

"I'll explain everything once we get to the top." The mouse stated, he then looking back to the five teenagers with him. "I really am glad you all came her tonight. Really, you have NO idea how much this means to all of us."

"But what do you need us for?" Melanie inquired, she shrinking to the back of the elevator. "Not meaning to be rude, but this entire thing is scaring me."

Michelle shifted her eyes toward her. "What are you so nervous about? It's not like we're following some psycho and he's going to gut and strangle us with our own intestines…" she stopped herself, Bobby glaring at her.

"Do you even HEAR yourself when you talk?" he turned to Mickey. "You'll have to excuse her. Her logic center is severely impaired."

"Excuse me!?"

Mickey did everything in his power to contain the chuckle begging to be released, the two blondes breaking off all contact with each other and facing away from each other, he then noticing Brandon near the back.

"You've been pretty quiet the entire time."

The boy shrugged. "Guess so. Truth be told…" he gazed upward, his face emotionless and stoic. "I'm actually kinda anxious to know what this is about even more."

"Well, that's a good attitude to have!" Mickey replied, yet he couldn't help but feel as if the teen's face he put out was something of a compensation for something he didn't wish to reveal.

He looked towards Toby again, he adjusting his varsity jacket. "I gotta say, while I'm NOT saying I'm being picky, but you all weren't exactly what we were expecting."

"Well, what WERE you expecting?" Toby inquired, the mouse certainly couldn't have been expecting someone older…or maybe younger? Yet with all the scenarios going through his mind, he felt he didn't want young individuals.

DING!

"Oh, we're here!" Mickey exclaimed, the elevator doors opening to reveal a long hallway bathed in shadow, the only source of light present belonging to 'mouse shaped' lamps embedded in the walls, each teen touching the surface of indentation of where the wall was carved out, the glass surface only bearing some warmth. They all eventually made it to the door at the end, the surface of a blank slate of ebony marble. The mouse placed his hand on the door, a white glow outlining his hand, then his head before it detached from itself, the door sliding to the side and opening.

What lay before them had every one of them excluding Mickey hang their mouths open and their eyes grow wide: before them was a large, white, expansive dome room, one large, hexagonal sphere resting in the center. The sphere's surface displayed what appeared to be a map of the entirety of Disney World; each section contained multiple sub-points dashed off to the side, yet the alien contraption was not what drew their attention. If Mickey Mouse himself wasn't enough, now their vision was bombarded with even MORE reality breaking impossibilities.

"I'LL SHOW YOU! QUAAAACK!" Donald quacked, slamming his fists on the sphere's smooth surface.

"Donald! Control yourself!" Daisy scolded, attempting to pull her raging significant, though rather unstable other from tearing the machine apart.

"Daisy, get him under control and, PLUTO! Stop running around!" Minnie commanded, Pluto obviously hyper and in desperate need to exert his energy.

Goofy was the only one to look back and see their 'band leader' was back. "Uh, guys? Look like Mick's back with some pals."

Ducks, Mouse, and Dogs stopped whatever they were doing, immediately straightening themselves out in order to look presentable for their new 'guests'. Toby couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the mouse, which had little to no reaction.

"Are they always like this?" he asked, Mickey nodding in response.

"Let's just say that tonight is going to be rather educational for you on the world of Toons." The mouse turned his attention back to the crew of other anthropomorphic animals. "Looks like Fate's been kind to us tonight!" he gleefully stated, presenting the five teens, all large, spherically shaped eyes gazing intently at the taller, far more 'realistically' shaped figures in the room.

All five animals made their way to the group of humans, each pair of eyes of each individual being drawn to one another.

"Gawsh…" Goofy stated, quirking an unseen brow at Brandon, the dark skinned boy returning his quizzical look. "Not sayin' you're wrong, Mick. But, uh…don't these fellers seem a little-"

"Old?"

Bobby turned his head to Donald, the duck having finished Goofy's remark, though albeit in a far more crass nature than the larger dog would've put it. "And is our age a problem?"

The ivory-feathered bird scowled. "Never said it was."

"But you're IMPLYING that it is."

"What he means…" Daisy interjected. "Is that while indeed tonight we WERE looking for…" she paused. "Aw, fiddlesticks. What was it again?"

"For those young at heart and eyes full of wonder." All talking died down, every eye looking towards the black Mouse who had made his way towards the ivory sphere. "Neither young or old, for the heart knows no record, nor does it care. All that matters…" he turned to look to his collection of friends and newly met acquaintances. "I'll admit, you all are a little older than I thought you'd be, but perhaps that's for the best."

"For the best?" Toby asked, the built, African American boy finding himself stepping forward towards Mickey, and in turn, the sphere, his eyes beginning to wander towards it, viewing the scene taking place upon it. "What's that supposed to mean? And…" he would've declared himself insane if had not previously come to terms with the fact that he was standing right next to a perfectly made caricature of Mickey Mouse, yet what he saw on the sphere's surface had him questioning how far down the, in this case, literal rabbit hole did he and these other four kids fall? "Who…no, what…is THAT?!"

Indeed, though only brief and if not for his chocolate brown eyes catching it, he might've not even noticed it, yet there it was. A figure, making its way down the streets of the Magic Kingdom, its movements and posture almost making it looking to be…injured or hurt in some way. Though it was humanoid in shape, Toby could instantly conclude that there was no way it was human. He couldn't exactly tell, yet it seemed to be wearing a torn, hole filled robe on its back, yet the holes did not let the ground underneath the robe be seen, the holes having strange, swirling mixtures of dark colors in them, as if what was assumed to be cloth was actually part of the being's skin.

"THAT," Mickey began, pointing towards the figure before it made its way out of sight, quite literally sliding across the ground as if it were an unnatural specter. "Is why you five are here."

Note: Like I said, it's not that I don't like this thing, I do, but I'm one of those types that if I don't see reviews, I don't feel motivated to write because it signifies that people aren't interested. Nothing against anyone, I'm just saying how my mind works. Anyhow, sorry about neglecting this thing for so long, and if you like, please share your thoughts!


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